My blog provides alternative view on Kashmir dispute and politics of South Asia, especially India Pakistan relations. It aims to educate people that they can make informed judgements.

Thursday, 21 December 2017

CPEC and the Indian concerns Dr Shabir Choudhry

CPEC and
the Indian concerns

Dr Shabir
Choudhry 21 December 2017

Prevailing view in the Indian security circles is that, CPEC, apart from
other motives, has hidden agenda to encircle India to endanger its security and
trade routes.

Of course, with that they feel that the CPEC will go through a territory
of Gilgit Baltistan, which is disputed and which they claim belongs to India. If
the CPEC is completed as planned, it may enable China to station their troops,
and strengthen their grip over these areas, a big chunk of which was illegally
given to China by Pakistan in 1963.

India doesn’t like Jammu and Kashmir dispute to be discussed at any
international platform. Those who claim that so and so conference was funded by
India need to understand that, unlike Pakistan, Indian policy for many decades
has been to keep the Jammu and Kashmir dispute on the back burner; and avoid
its publicity in any form or shape.

Indian policy makers feel the CPEC can ‘internationalize’ the Jammu Kashmir dispute; and will enable China
and Pakistan to extend their influence in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Areas of Gilgit Baltistan were part of
the former Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. On 22 October 1947, despite
Standstill Agreement, Pakistan attacked to capture Kashmir. The Maharaja Hari
Singh was left with no alternative, but to accede to India in order to save
life, liberty and property of the people; however, this accession had to be
ratified by the people.

On strength of this treaty, India call
Gilgit Baltistan and so called Azad Kashmir as its ‘territory’. Bitter fact,
however, is that just like Pakistan abandoned Bihari people in East Pakistan;
India also practically abandoned these areas and left the people at the mercy
of Pakistani establishmnent.

If India, in accordance with terms of
the treaty had used its military muscle and had driven the raiders out of Jammu
and Kashmir territory, then they would have had access to Central Asia via Wah
Khan strip. It appeared they were satisfied with what they had under their
control, and that is why Zulfqar Ali Bhutto and Mrs Indira Gandhi changed Cease
Fire Line in to Line of Control in the Simla Agreement, practically
acknowledging that what is under Pakistan belongs to them. It becomes apparent
that views and sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir state did not
matter to rulers of India and Pakistan.

While speaking to a seminar in New Delhi, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi said: “Only by respecting the sovereignty of countries
involved, can regional connectivity corridors fulfil their promise and avoid
differences and discord.”

However, critics point out that if India was so concerned about its ‘territory’,
then why no issue was raised by India when Quadrilateral
Traffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA) was initiated in 1995. The QTTA was a
transit trade deal involving four countries, China, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and
Kazakhstan; and had to go through Gilgit Baltistan.

May be Indian establishment regarded the QTTA an economic
trade route and not a project planned to encircle India. The CPEC and control
of Gwadar will enable China, and to some extent Pakistan, to influence the
Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, which is detrimental to interests of many
countries, including India. The choking of Strait of Malacca will not be
effective because of the CPEC and the Chinese control of Gwadar and other
string of Pearls.

It must be pointed out
that Gulf of Oman is the world’s busiest shipping route; and India’s more than
two-thirds petroleum imports pass through this. Pakistan has leased Gwadar Port
to China for 40 long years. It is believed that Gwadar has already become China’s
naval outpost with ability to threaten India’s economic, energy and security
interests.

A Swedish think tank, Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute, also asserts that India’s apprehension on the CPEC includes
fear of ‘internationalization of the Kashmir dispute and the growing
influence of China in the Indian Ocean’.

Also, Indian policy
makers fear that because of the CPEC and huge Chinese investment, China’s role
will become more pro Pakistan; and Gilgit Baltistan, a roof of the world, can
become a military base of China which can have serious defence and strategic
ramifications.

To counter the CPEC and to overcome Pakistan’s refusal to
allow transportation of the Indian goods to Afghanistan, India also initiated
its own strategies, which include development of Iranian Port of Chabahar and
Air Cargo Service to Afghanistan.

Both India and Iran
can make effective use of the Chabahar port. Iran can export goods to India and
to Asia Pacific region. Chabahar Port is about 843 nautical miles from Mumbai,
India’s commercial hub; and India can use that to access the markets of Central
Asia via Afghanistan. Goods from the Chabahar Port will be transported by
road to Zaranj city, in Nimruz province of Afghanistan, which will be linked to
a highway built by India in 2009.

This route will also
give Afghanistan access to the Gulf and the Arabian Sea. Furthermore, if this
route becomes fully functional, it can take away some of the shine from the
CPEC; and Pakistan’s pride that it controls strategic gateway.

If all countries of
the region work in good faith and in partnership, then the Gwadar and Chabahar
Ports can become sister ports. If rivalry and animosity continues, then in an
atmosphere of tension and confrontation, it can become a battleground,
resulting in death and destruction and economic slowdown of many countries.

About Me

Dr Shabir Choudhry has done extensive research on the issue of Kashmir and Indo Pakistan relations. He passed BA Honours in Politics and History, and Mphil in International Relations (title of the thesis, ‘Kashmir and Partition of India’); and title of his PhD thesis is ‘Kashmir- An issue of a nation not a dispute of a land’.

Apart from this Dr Shabir Choudhry passed Post Graduates Certificates in Education, and NVQ Assessor’s qualifications; and taught English in London.

Political Achievements

Founder member of JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front established in 1977) and got elected as a Press Secretary in 1984.

Became its Secretary General in 1985, and resigned from this post in 1996.

Got elected President of JKLF and Europe in May 1999, and decided not to contest in elections of July 2001.

Said good - bye to the JKLF as it is in many groups and is largely seen as advancing a Pakistani agenda on Kashmir dispute, and set up a new party Kashmir National Party in May 2008.

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At present, he is:

·Spokesman Kashmir National Party and Director Diplomatic Committee;

·Spokesman for International KashmirAlliance;

·Founder member and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs;

Previously

·A founder Member and Trustee/ Director of London based registered charity, Kashmir Foundation International and resigned from this position in August 2001.

·Regularly take part in the Sessions of the UN Human Rights (Commission) now Council in Geneva; and address various conferences and seminars to oppose violence and highlight the Kashmir cause.

·Participated in a Round Table Conference on Kashmir, organised by Socialist Group of European Parliament in Brussels in 1993.

·Addressed as a Chief Guest in a seminar on issue of Mangla Dam during the UN Sub Commission’s proceedings in August 2003.

·Addressed as a key - note speaker in a seminar on the issue of Gilgit and Baltistan, organised by Association of British Kashmiris.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker on human rights conference in Paris in 1991.

·Addressed at CambridgeUniversity as a Chief Guest in a conference on Kashmir in 1990.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker at New Delhi conference on Kashmir, which was part of Track Two diplomacy in November 2000.

·In September 2008, addressed a Conference arranged by Interfaith International in Geneva, topic of which was:“Kashmir Issue, Terrorism and Human Rights”.

·Addressed as a speaker in a NGO Conference on Self - Determination in Geneva in August 2000.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker in a fringe meeting of Liberal Democrats at their Annual Conference in Brighton in 1995.

·Participated in World Human Rights Conference in Vienna in 1993.

·Before President Clinton's visit to India and Pakistan in 2000, lead a JKLF delegation to the State Department to discuss Kashmir dispute and situation in South Asia.

·Also had two rounds of meetings with senior State Department officials before President Musharraf’s meeting to Washington in June 2003.

·Apart from that had meetings with senior officials including Ministers of different countries, and also held many meetings with the State Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on number of occasions.

·Played important role in advancing a Kashmiri perspective on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir; and also helped Baroness Emma Nicholson with her report ‘Kashmir: present situation and future prospects’, which was adopted by the European Parliament in May 2007.

·Won first prize in an essay competition in Urdu in 1976. It was organised by High Commission of Pakistan in London, and title of the essay was 'Qaaid-e- Azam's role in Islamic History'.

·Apart from that have addressed conferences in Brussels, Geneva, Toronto, Islamabad, Delhi, and

Publications

·Got first Urdu novel ‘Fareena’ published at the age of eighteen.

·Second Urdu novel ‘Bay-Khataa’ which was about the problems of Asian youths living in UK published in 1983.

·Third Urdu book ‘Pakistan and Kashmiri struggle for independence’ published in 1990.

·Fourth Urdu book is also on Kashmiri struggle, 'Is an independent Kashmir a conspiracy?'

·Apart from that has twenty books and booklets published in English on various aspects of the Kashmiri struggle.

·Recent publications are: Kashmir dispute as I see it

·Different perspective on Kashmir

·JKLF visit to Pakistan Administered Kashmir

·Kashmir Needs Change of Heart

·If not self - determination then what?

·Emma Nicholson report- who has won?

·Struggle for independence, Jihad or proxy war (Introduction by Baroness Emma Nicholson)

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Future publications

Following books were completed some time ago and shall be published in near future:

In Search of Freedom - My visit to Srinagar and Islamabad

Kashmir and Partition of India

A brief background

Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in a small village called Nakker Shimali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and like other people from the region, holds a dual nationality. He left secondary school in 1970 with no qualifications and began his life as a textile worker.

In 1975 he started part time studies and passed Matriculation from Government High School Panjeri, passed ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels from UK, and resumed full time degree course in 1981, and passed BA (Hons) in Politics and History in 1984.

He continued full time and part time jobs until he got his Mphil. He passed his PGCE (Post Graduates Certificate in Education) in 1990, and then started full time job as a Lecturer. Due to health problems he resigned from teaching in 1999. At present he is self - employed, provides private tuition, translation and interpretation and consultancy.

Through out his adult life he has actively worked for the cause of Kashmir, and even during long illness he effectively carried out his responsibilities as a leader of the JKLF, a ‘prolific writer’ and consistent campaigner of Rights Movement and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and South Asia.